Prismatic Sphere

Magic-user 9

Range. 0

Duration. 1 turn per CL

Area of Effect. 2" diameter sphere

Abjuration, Conjuration/Summoning

Components. V

Casting Time. 7s

Saving Throw. Special

This spell enables the magic-user to conjure up an opaque globe of shimmering, multi-colored spheres of light to surround him or her which give protection from all forms of attack.

This scintillating sphere flashes all the seven colors of the visible spectrum, and each of these spheres of color has a different power and purpose. Any creature with fewer than eight hit dice will be blinded for from 2 to 8 turns by the colors of the sphere.

This phenomenon is immobile and only the spell caster can pass in and out the prismatic sphere without harm.

Note that typically the upper hemisphere of the globe will be visible, as the spell caster is at the center of the sphere, so the lower half is usually hidden by the floor surface he or she is standing upon.

The colors and effects of the prismatic sphere, as well as what will negate each globe, are:

Note that a rod of cancellation will destroy a prismatic sphere. Otherwise, anything entering the sphere will be destroyed, any creature subject to the effects of each and every globe as indicated, ie. 70 hit points of damage plus death, petrification, insanity and/or instantaneous transportation to another plane, and only the four latter effects are subject to saving throws.

The individual globes may be destroyed by appropriate magical attacks in consecutive order, the 1st globe destroyed before any others, then the 2nd, etc.

At the commencement of this spell, each color is shimmering, but each represents a successive layer, rather like an onion. The first MUST be brought down before the second can be affected, etc. Any creature passing through gets the effect of each and every color layer still existing.

Polyhedron #25, Dispel Confusion, p.29: ADQ: Can someone other than the caster walk through a prismatic sphere, or does the seventh layer (force field) keep anyone from entering?ADA: Anyone can penetrate a prismatic sphere, simply by taking the damage (a total of 70 hp) and making all the required saving throws. The "force field" is different from a wall of force, else the caster would not be able to penetrate it either.

Polyhedron #31; Dispel Confusion, p.29: ADQ: The description of the 9th-level magic-user spell prismatic sphere in the Players Handbook specifies that the seventh sphere confers force field protection. Is this protection akin to a wall of force? If so, the seventh sphere is equal to all six former spheres put together, and the magic-user could not cast spells out of it. This makes the prismatic sphere spell an expensive delay only for the magic-user, and leaves the mage's comrades out in the cold.ADA: No, the force field is NOT a wall of force. It is exactly as the spell description states — a barrier which sends anyone trying to penetrate it to another plane unless a save vs. spells is made. If the save is successful, the attacker may pass through it to the mage. Note, however, that said attacker is once again subject to all the effects on his way out, and must make a new save vs. that effect and each of the others for which one is required to escape.There is nothing in the spell description to indicate that the creator of the sphere cannot cast spells out of it. Indeed, the caster may pass through the sphere with no ill effects, and his or her spells can as well.

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